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Trying to stretch your holiday shopping budget? The Friends of the Library Book Store Next Door has a variety of books that are in mint condition for the reader on your list. You will find wonderful holiday books for children of all ages. A gift certificate to the Book Store Next Door is also a perfect gift for your child’s teacher or for your child! Gift certificates are available to purchase at the library’s main circulation desk and at the Book Store Next Door. The Book Store is open Saturdays for 10 am to 4 pm.

Ann Patchett is the author of several previous novels, including Bel Canto, The Magician’s Assistant, and Run. Readers who have enjoyed Patchett’s previous novels will doubtless enjoy State of Wonder as well. Patchett is a master of setting; the places she writes about are vivid and real. The main character, Dr. Marina Singh, must journey from wintry Minnesota to the Amazon jungle in order to track down a fellow research scientist, Anders, who has disappeared. There, Marina finds her old and formidable mentor, Dr. Swenson, who is focused on an amazing discovery and is unconcerned with the fate of Marina’s co-worker. Marina must find out what happened to Anders and convince Dr. Swenson to return. State of Wonder is a tremendous story of beauty, loss, and recovery – a character-driven novel with a plot as powerful and twisting as the Amazon River itself.

In 2003 author Joan Didion's husband, John Gregory Dunne, dies unexpectedly from a heart attack. The year that follows is a year of "magical thinking," as Didion can't help but expect her husband of 40 years to walk through the door. This touching memoir provides a bittersweet account of Didion's journey and ultimately becomes a celebration of their marraige. Didion's stark account is unembellished and manages to avoid the sentimentality that similar memoirs frequently feature.

For those of you who have already read this book, take a look at Didion's latest, Blue Nights, in which she struggles with the death of her daughter.

Bruins fans who would like a chance to win a gift basket filled with Bruins items including two tickets for a Bruins game on January 31 with Ottawa Senators can purchase tickets for a drawing at the library. Other items in the basket include sticks and pucks autographed by your favorite players, a Bruins back pack, winter cap, NHL scarf, throw blanket and ice scraper. Tickets can be purchased for $2 each and 3 for $5 at the library’s main desk. The gift basket is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Thanks to Dan Wandell, Vice-President of the Friends of the Library, for donating the Bruins gift basket. The drawing for the gift basket will be held on Friday, December 16, just in time to give the gift to a Bruins fan for Christmas.

June is a military genius, having aced her exams and graduated early from the academy. Her first assignment: track down the elusive Day, the Republic's most-wanted criminal, the boy responsible for killing June's brother, the only family she had left. Day, in contrast, failed all his exams and has been living on the streets ever since, smuggling his gambling winnings to his brother, the only member of Day's family who knows he's still alive. June wants to avenge her brother's death; Day wants to buy the cure to the plague that's ripping through his family's neighborhood. June is about to find out exactly what the Republic government is capable of--and that's something Day has known all along.

The book is LEGEND, by Marie Lu. It comes out November 29, and you can request your copy right here.

An easy way to copy and paste text is to highlight the text you want to copy (you “highlight” the text by holding down the left side of the mouse with your index finger and drag the mouse over the text you wish to copy). Once the text is highlighted, hold the CTRL key down and press the letter “C” on your keyboard. Left click where you want to paste the text. Hold down the CTRL key and press the letter “V” on your keyboard to paste the text.

Residents without power came to the library to use the Internet, check their email, and get warm. Many commented to staff that they appreciated having the library to come to. We are pleased to be able to provide this service in time of need.

Don't let the bulk of this book intimidate you; 660 Curries is an excellent introduction to Indian cooking! Raghavan Iyer's book gives plenty of advice on using and finding foreign ingredients and provides a simple approach to meal prep. If you're looking for great, one-dish meals, this is a book to try. Try the Yogurt-Tart Chickpeas on page 335 or the One-Pot Potatoes with Red Lentils on page 552.

The library purchases a movie license annually that provides permission to show feature length films to an audience. Thanks to the Friends of the Library funding for the new audio video system, a movie theater like atmosphere adds to your viewing enjoyment. On October 28, at 10 am, preschoolers and their caregivers are invited to enjoy Winnie the Pooh, the latest movie about the lovable bear and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. The adult audience can watch Water for Elephants on Tuesday November 1, with show time starting at 6:45 pm. This movie is based on the bestselling book by Sara Gruen. The entire family can come on Friday November 4, at 7 pm for a showing of Cars 2. Please note that the library closes at 5 pm for normal business on Fridays. Doors open for the movie at 6:45pm and will be closed by 7:05 pm. So zoom over to the library on time to watch Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater when they head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. Please register for these movie events.